Missoula County Expected to Have Record Turnout for Election

Missoula county Elections administrator Dayna Causby says ballots on Monday were flowing into the elections office at a fast pace, in fact the total number of voters was getting close to what the final tally usually looks like after Election Day.

"Right now [November 5], we have a 66 percent return rate," Causby said. "I know that receivers are currently busy plugging away trying to get all of those ballots scanned into the system, so that number will grow. Our drive-thru ballot drop off is still happening and we are still collecting from that so I really expect that 66 percent to go up.

Causby says she wouldn’t be surprised if voter turnout this year sets an all-time record for Missoula County.

"Typically we get about a 70 or so percent return rate, which would include the Election Day returns as well, so we really are looking for a record turnout and I would think that the record turnout number would be somewhere around 80 percent," Causby said. "A lot of money was spent on this election as well as the communications with voters, getting the information out, so I'm sure we're going to get close to that 80 percent mark."

This election has already been the most expensive in Montana state history with record spending on the U.S. Senate race between Democrat Jon Tester and Republican Matt Rosendale. The election cycle has also seen U.S. President Donald Trump visit Montana a record number of four times, just since July.